The Foreign Ministry got confirmation from the French authorities late on Monday night that there were two Estonian nationals among the people killed in the terrorist attack in Nice, spokespeople said. President Toomas Hendrik Ilves as well as Prime Minister Taavi Rõivas and Foreign Minister Marina Kaljurand expressed their condolences.

President Toomas Hendrik Ilves expressed his condolences to the family of the victims. Estonia was now among those many countries who were affected by terrorism, he said.

Prime Minister Taavi Rõivas (Reform) said that never before had terrorism affected Estonians as closely as it did now. "But we can't give in. We have to be strong in the memory of our fellow citizens and the dozens of others." Rõivas offered his condolences to the families of the victims.

Foreign Minister Marina Kaljurand (independent) informed the public about the situation at a press conference on Tuesday morning. “I offer my heartfelt sympathies to the families and friends of the Estonian citizens who lost their lives in the terrorist attack. This is the first time that we are experiencing terrorism so bitterly and closely. There are no words to describe the sorrow and pain that this cruel tragedy has caused to so many people,” Kaljurand said.

The Foreign Ministry is in contact with the victims’ next of kin, and a diplomat from the Estonian embassy in Paris sent to Nice is providing them with advice and help.

According to media, the victims are a woman who was on a holiday in Nice with her husband, daughter, and grandchildren, and a 21-year-old from Tallinn who attended an innovation academy program in Nice.

Another three Estonian citizens injured in the attack are still in hospital.

The ministry announced that it will do everything necessary to bring the Estonian citizens killed and injured in last week’s terrorist attack in Nice home.

She said compensation made available by the French government could be tapped into for this. Estonian officials meanwhile are working to find out what kind of insurance the victims had and whether it covers the cost of bringing them back to Estonia.

Kaljurand added that the most important thing now was not to deal with the costs and who will pay, but providing psychological support to the families of the victims and the people still in hospital.